The digitization of transport chains continues to advance in the new year. Thus, increasing digitization may also open up opportunities to take further steps in the direction of synchromodal transport chains. The topic of synchromodal transport chains, which is also being promoted by the European Commission, is synchronized and interconnected transport networks that allow the means of transport to be changed in real time. This enables greater use of environmentally friendly means of transport, such as rail or inland waterways.

On this topic, Prof. Elbert and our research associate Johannes Rentschler had the great opportunity to speak at the Annual Meet of the Transportation Research Board in Washington DC, USA last week. Together they presented their research results on the potentials of synchromodal transport, collected together with Felix Weber, in the session “Current Research in Intermodal Freight Transport”.

As is the case here in Europe, the digitization of transport chains is also a central topic for the US. Especially in the context of the annual meeting of the AT045 Intermodal Freight Transport Committee of the TRB under the leadership of Jolene Hayes, where Ralf Elbert has been strengthening the international research network as an international member since 2022, digital transport platforms were one of many points. For the research at our department, this topic forms a research focus. We have collected many of our research results on the topic here for you.

We are happy about the successful attendance and look forward to the next time!